United States of Japan – Book Review

As a fellow author, writer, and educational advocate, there are some books I read and judge quite harshly (always while alone). I could write that; my four-year-old nephew could write that too. Then there are some books that I read and I am so utterly blown away by them. I think to myself, damn…. will I ever be that good? Could my novel even hold a candle what I just consumed with frenzy? UNITED STATES OF JAPAN by Peter Tieryas is one of the later.

Tieryas is a true wordsmith, a logophile of the greatest caliber. There is a passage near the end of the book when a character is being electrocuted. What passes from the time the electrocution starts to when the torture stops, is insane. It’s vivid, and time fluxes into infinity before snapping back on end hitting the reader in the face with a punch so grand your still spinning after it stops.

THE UNITED STATES OF JAPN was an unusual pick for me. As a rule, I shy from things that are overtly military in nature or war-like. I write non-fiction about actual war and military, I don’t generally enjoy reading it. BUT this was different. This is alternate history type of writing with a crazy awesome sifi twist. I was not disappointed. In fact, my expectations were blown way out of the water.

I met Peter Tieryas earlier this year and he was one of the most down to earth men. His wife was with him and the two were the cutest pair I’d ever met. I instantly fell in love with the concept of this book and couldn’t wait to read it. So of course, those of you who know my writing, know that I’m a fanatic about my autographed books. So I had to wait till I bought a second (and in my case I bought a second and an audible version) copy before I could read it.

I’ve told every one of my reader friends about this book. And I expect you’ll be impressed too. This was nothing like I expected. It’s a book about the bigger picture, about good and wrong and the blurry lines in between. What if we lost the war? What would our world look like today? What Tieryas has imagined will leave you not just wanting more but begging him for it. So how about it Peter, I need more!